Moving-picture machine.



0'. R. UEBBLMESSBR.

MOVING PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13. 1906.

1,01 9,929, Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

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C. R. UEBELMESSER.

MOVING PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13, 1906.

1,0], 9,929, Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

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901mm 9. MM Charla? 7e. wbclmass lam w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. UEBELMESSER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO LUIDWIG G. B. ERIB AND JOSEPH .A. GOLDEN.

MOVING-PICTURE MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that LCHARLES R. UEBEL- MESSER, a citizen of Germany, anda resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and city of NewYork, N. Y., have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMoving-Picture Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to moving picture machines and more particularlyto the mechanism for feeding the picture film.

The device is adapted to intermittentl feed the film without puttingupon it any increased strain or tension while moving. I accomplish thisby passing the tape over a sprocket feed roller revolvin withoutintermission and at uniform spee while its axis reciprocates, recedingwhile the film is at rest and moving forward while the film is inmotion,'as will now be explained, reference being had to the followingdescription, the claims and. the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a frontview of the device. Fig. 2 is a side view of same. Fig. 3 is a detailview of the film feeding frame without its cover. Fig. 4 is a side viewof a modified form of the device. Fig. 5 is a side view of anothermodified form of the device.

The device to be described is adapted to be suitably mounted in a movingpicture apparatus and in line with the light and lenses of saidapparatus, so that the pictures of the film hereinafter referred to willbe projected and magnified upon a screen. It is not necessary to morefully illustrate the application of this device as the types ofapparatus with which it may be connected are many and well known.

In this device horizontal brackets, 10, are united by stays, 11, and theguide rods, 12, the latter carrying a shifting film feeding frame, 13,with perforated lugs, 14, through which the rods 12 pass. The frame 13has an openin 15, over which the picture film travels an through whichthe light passes. It further has in its outer side a shallow groove, 16,wider than the opening 15 and in this groove the film freely moves andis held from displacement by a lid 17 hinged at;18 to the feeding frame13. In the lower end of the feeding frame is journaled the shaft 19 ofsprocket wheels 20, the latter being connected to form a sprocket feedroller, in which the sprockets engage perforations at each side of thetransparent film, which operation is the common means employed to feedthe film in this class of apparatus.

The outer end of shaft 19 carries a crown wheel 21 meshing with anelongated pinion 22,0n a vertical shaft 23, the latter carrying threemiter gear wheels 24, 25 and 26, of which the former is geared with anoperating wheel 27 on a shaft 28 and is rotated by a handle, 29, orother suitable means. The wheel 25 operates a shutter 30 of usualconstruction, and the wheel 26, through its companion wheel 31, rotatesupper feed rollers, 32, connected like the sprocket wheels 20 so as toform another sprocket feed roller, revolving on a stationary axis.

On one side of the feeding frame 13 is a bracket 33 having a lowerforked end carry-- ing a roller 34 which is actuated by a revolving cam35, on the drivin shaft 28. The guide rods 12'have screwe to themcollars 36 between which and the lower lug 14 and encircling the rodsare coiled springs 37, under compression and tending to keep the roller34 against the revolving cam 35.

As will be seen in Fig. 2, there is a certain amount of slack or a loopas at S in the film between the two sets of feed rollers, and this slackis necessarily outside of thefeeding frame 13.

lVith the rotation of the shafts 28 and 23, the sprocket feed wheels areput in motion and the tendency ofthe picture film is to move down thegroove 16, while the revolving cam or eccentric, 35, acting on theroller 34 moves the film upward at the same rate of speed at which thelower rollers move it downward, thus leaving it stationary until theelevating edge of the cam or that part of theedge of the cam that is atthegreatest distance from the axis 28 has passed the roller 34, when thesharp decline 35 in the cam wheel 35 causes the frame 13 to suddcnlyreturn to its lowest point as shown in Fig. 2. The loop S provides amplereserve of film for this movement without in any way stretching orputting any extra tension on the film. The sprocket wheels 20 and 32 areso geared that a fresh loop or slack portion is provided after eachdescent of the lower feed roller so that there is nothing to interferewith the regularity of this movement which is a most important one tosecure speed and preserve the film from tearing.

' In Fig. 4 is illustrated a means for operating the frame 13 withoutthe use of springs. In this construction a cam 40 is employed, having .agroove, 41, in its side, inv which plays a roller 42 carried by abracket or arm 43, depending from the feeding frame 13. This meanssecures a more, positive movement to the'reciprocating frame.

Fig. 5 illustrates another means for securing a positive movement of thefilm carry ingframe. 'In'this case are employed two cams 44,0ne at eachend of the device and adapted to act upon the "rollers 45 carried by thefeeding frame. These two last. devices serve to illustrate some of thevarious means that may be used to secure the reciprocation of thefeeding frame while the continuously moving feed roller is moving thefilm intermittently so as to give the required periods of rest forexposure to light and projection upon ascreen.

-On account of the fact that during the rapid movement of the lower feedroller,

of the features shown in living picture machines, as other uses existtherefor.

-What I claim as new is:

'1. In a moving picture machine, the combination of a sprocket feedroller and a crown wheel, a shaft on which these are mounted, anelongated pinion adapted to revolve the shaft and means for causing theshaft to reciprocate.

2. In a moving picture ma'chine,-the combination of a sprocket feedroller and a crown -wheel, a shaft on which these are mounted,

an elongated pinion adapted to impart a continuous revolution to theshaft and means for causing the shaft to reciprocate.

3. In a moving picture machine, the combination of a reciprocating framecams for reciprocating the frame, film-feedmg means mounted on the frameand adapted to retate as said frame reciprocates, and means for rotatingsaid film-feeding means.

. 4. In a moving picture machine, the combination of a reciprocatingframe, means for actuating. the frame, a feed roller mounted on a shaftand carried by the frame and adapted to rotate as saidframereciprocates,

a crown wheel on the shaft of the feed roller, an elongated pinionmeshing with the crown wheel and; means for driving the pinion.

Signed at New York this 10th day of Jan., 1906.

CHARLES R. UEBELMESSER. Witnesses:

I O. A. 0. Bosnia,

M. L. CHETEJIAN.

